


Hold Me Just A Moment Longer

by Attempting_to_write



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Am I expecting this to be read? Nah., Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, DO NOT SHIP THIS, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear of Death, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gen Work, Hurt/Comfort, I will go down with irondad and spiderson, Irondad, Panic Attacks, Past Violence, Protective Tony Stark, Sweet, Tony Stark Has A Heart, please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 10:17:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15749673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Attempting_to_write/pseuds/Attempting_to_write
Summary: Ever since the Incident with The Vulture, Peter's had issues with small spaces.He's also had a long lasting wonder of why on Earth Tony Stark would ever keep him around.One night seems to bring some new ideas to light, for Peter and Tony both.OR in which Peter has a panic attack while working with Tony, and there is angst, tears, and a lot of comfort from everyone's favorite IronDad.





	Hold Me Just A Moment Longer

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first MCU fic that I've ever actually completed, which is crazy to me. I'm not really expecting this to go anywhere tho because this fandom is so over saturated with fics. However, they tell you to write what you want to read, and this is it! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Ever since the Vulture, Peter had trouble with small spaces. He had never been overly fond of any small areas, but this was a whole new level. 

It was stupid, Peter knew, it wasn’t real and he wasn’t there. Yet every time he found himself in a small room, he was _there_. He could _feel_ the rubble snapping his ribs like matchsticks, he could taste the blood running down his face and into his mouth, but was powerless to do anything about it. He was back in the building, slowly dying, disappointing Mr. Stark, leaving his friends behind, and worst of all, abandoning Aunt May. 

Peter wasn’t stupid, he was fully aware that he was all she had left. She truly had lost everything but Peter, and he refused to disappear on her as well. 

Being Spider-Man was never really a responsibility Peter felt _equipped_ to face, per se. His plan of attack had always been to sling in webs first, figure it out later. It hadn’t done him a particularly good job thus far.

Which is why peter thanked his lucky stars every single day, not only for such a wonderful Aunt and such supportive friends, but also for Tony Stark. Tony Stark, who had given him an opportunity to be a good superhero. Who had paid for his scientific adventures, and who had helped to lift as much of the responsibility as he could from Peter’s shoulders, something he would be forever grateful for. 

Tony, despite his own busy life, had decided it was his duty to informally adopt Peter, and as soon as the awkwardness melted away, it became clear that neither were going to complain about their situation. Peter got a mentor, and a good friend out of it, and Tony got.., Well, Tony got something out of their situation, but Peter had never really been able to figure out what. He seemed fully contented when it was just them and Pepper, and seemed like the kind of man to actively deny even the prospect of having kids. Most of the time.

There were, of course, moments in which Peter thought maybe he understood what Tony got from it, but they always ended too quickly for peter to decipher any of what it meant. It was always a caring word here, a gentle gesture or well thought out gift there. Little, heartfelt comments that Peter took to mean more than they certainly ever could to Tony. he _had_ to be overthinking things. He had to be.

It was moments like this that made him doubt that he was. 

Tony had his arms wrapped tightly around Peter, a strong arm around his waist as he practically carried Peter to the nearest couch. He was whispering soothing words in Peter’s ear, but none of them registered. 

It was too much. Everything was too hottoomuchtooloudtoobright.

It was innocent, some rational part of Peter knew, Tony wasn’t trying to hurt him. 

_Get him away._ The part of his brain seemingly in control screamed back in response. So Peter did.

In an instant, Peter shoved the presence holding him away, and heard him hit a distant wall. 

_It’s his fault._ His brain supplied. _He asked you to go to that closet._

Peter hadn’t even remembered the effect it could have on him when Tony asked him to grab something from his spare parts closet. As he entered, however, the door swung shut behind him and suddenly it was dark and loud and the Vulture was winning and it was his fault and he could have stopped it.

Within moments, he toppled to the floor, curling in on himself as loud, uncontrolled sobs wracked his body. Barely a second later, the door was flung open again and Tony was there, hoisting him off the ground and back into the open air, keeping him upright and reminding him where he was. 

“Peter, kid, it’s Tony. You’re having a panic attack, whatever you’re seeing isn’t real. It’s just us and the bots and we’re in my lab, and- Oh shit, JARVIS, down the lights and turn down the ac, I know where his mind is.”

_”Yes, sir._

None of it registered.

Now that Tony was gone, though, Peter fell back to the hard linoleum floor, eyes wrenched tightly shut and mouth dry from fear. 

It wasn’t until there was a firm hand on his wrist that Peter realised he was practically clawing at his own body, curled tightly into a ball and trying to escape get out leave go get him away he’ll hurt you. Peter yanked himself out of the grip, not letting himself die like this. Not to him.

But then there was Tony’s voice.

“Kid, Peter, listen to me. You’re safe. It’s me, it’s Tony. I’ve got, you, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. Open your eyes, buddy. Can you do that for me?”

_nononononono, don’t._ Peter’s mind screamed. Feebly, he nodded once. He pulled his hands away from his eyes slowly, and blinked into the dim light that greeted him. No harsh sounds or sights, just Tony, kneeling protectively beside him, and the workshop in the background.

“There you go, kid. Take some deep breaths.” Peter obeyed, and it was silent other than his own gasping breaths and Tony’s slower, steadying ones. Peter did his best to mimic that, until at least some of the adrenaline had left his system. His heart slowed a little, but the tears didn’t stop flowing, and the fear stayed, rooted firmly in his system. 

“Can I touch you?” Tony asked. Peter scooted himself closer to him instead of responding, relishing in the way Tony pulled his head into his lap, gently carding fingers through his hair.

“I gotcha, kiddo. You know that right?” Tony asked. Peter nodded twice, still too afraid to speak. The memory was still rooted firmly in his system, and Tony seemed to understand. They sat in silence for a few moments, and then Peter finally worked up the courage to speak.

“Can we go to the couch?” He asked. Tony nodded.

“Of course. Let me help you up.” His tone was soft and comforting, unlike Peter had ever heard it when he wasn’t half delirious and being patched up on the couch Tony was half dragging him to.

After what felt like an eternity, but was likely only moments, Peter was deposited on the plush velvet of Tony’s workshop couch. He couldn’t tell exactly how many times he had been patched up here, but it still felt familiar every time. Funny, he thought, that the place he went when he was injured was currently serving as a comfort location.

Peter heard Tony huff and resume their previous position: Peter, stretched out, Tony sitting up, Peter’s head in Tony’s lap, this time able to keep his eyes open enough to see the concern etched into his mentor’s features.

“Hey, you with me?” He asked.

“I am now.” Peter replied softly, his voice breaking on the last syllable. Tony sighed heavily and moved his hands to thread themselves through Peter’s hair, massaging his scalp gently. Peter leaned into the touch gratefully.

“Goddamn, you’re too young for this.” Tony muttered, telling Dum-E to bring them hot cocoa from the kitchenette. The bot obeyed, but Peter was thoroughly confused.

Tony rubbed a hand down his face and gestured vaguely to their situation. 

“This. All of it, the hero business, the powers, the… Panic attacks.” Tony said, looking absolutely crushed to say it out loud. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark.”

“It’s Tony, and don’t apologise. Do you want to tell me what happened just then?” He asked, backing himself away just enough for Peter to get the idea. The ball was in his court, everything that happened was his call.

“I…” Peter took a deep breath, willing the tears pooling behind his eyes away. “I get flashbacks sometimes, to, you know… The Vulture. When I’m in small spaces. It’s worse when it’s dark, too.”

Tony gave Peter a look that conveyed more than words ever could. _I understand,_ he said. 

“What happened with the Vulture that I don’t know about, Peter?” Tony asked, tensing slightly. 

“Nothing, Mr. Stark.” With how his voice came out, even Peter wasn’t convinced.

“Don’t lie to me, kid. I’m not stupid, what are you not telling me?”

Peter forced away the emotion threatening to spill over him.

“He dropped a building on me.” Peter squeaked out, and Tony’s face immediately hardened.

“I’m sorry, he fucking _what?_ ” Tony asked, eyes blazing with a protective fury Peter had never seen before. He shrank back immediately, backtracking as fast as he could.

“No, wait Mr. Stark I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to happen, I-”

One pointed look shut Peter up without another thought.

“Don’t apologise for that. It was absolutely not your fault. I swear to god, I’m going to go back and murder that man myself, he could’ve killed you.” Tony’s hand was still stroking through Peter’s hair when Dum-E returned, holding a cup of hot cocoa and a heavy blanket. Tony helped Peter sit up, visibly shaken by his next words.

“I think that was kind of the plan, Mr. Stark.” He said, only half joking as he gripped the cup of cocoa tightly and Tony wrapped the blanket around both of them. 

“That is never happening to you again. You can Spider-Man all you want, but if anything ever gets _half_ that bad, you tell me immediately.

“I am not going to let you get hurt like that ever, ever again Peter.” Tony mumbled, and if Peter leaned a little closer to him, neither said anything.

“JARVIS, you wanna turn on a movie?” Tony asked, looking to Peter expectantly.

“Uh, how’s Braveheart sound? I’ve been meaning to get around to it for a while.” Peter said, and Tony nodded.

“You heard the man, JARVIS! Lets go!” He said excitedly, wrapping an arm around Peter’s smaller frame and pulling them closer together.

Nearly an hour and three mugs of hot cocoa later, Peter felt his eyes slipping shut, and saw Tony’s sneaking amused glances at his attempts to stay awake.

“Hey, Tony?” Peter mumbled, relaxing almost completely into Tony’s side. He could practically feel his mentor’s face splitting grin at his slip.

“Yeah, Peter?” he asked, softly, and suddenly Peter understood.

Tony kept Peter around because he _cared._ Genuine, real care for Peter’s wellbeing and for what he did. Tony genuinely enjoyed having Peter around, teaching him what he knew, and taking care of him.

Tony wasn’t the kind of man to turn his nose up at having kids. In a way, he had already ended up with one. Peter’s own grin soon matched Tony’s, wrapping his arms around his waist to hug him tight.

“Thank you.” He said, eyes slipping shut.

“Any time, Pete. I got you.” Tony replied, ruffling his hair softly. Peter hugged Tony even tighter and finally let himself fall into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> So... How do we feel? I tried to keep it short and sweet because I don't feel like this fic needed to be too long, but I hope you enjoyed regardless!
> 
> every single Kudos and Comment you guys give helps me out SO SO SO much, and I really appreciate every bit of feedback i get, so please leave it down in the comments!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, I love you all so much, have a great day! <3


End file.
